Ecosystem Ecology Flashcards
Define ecosystem ecology
Study of communities of organisms and the physical environment they occupy
Physical and biological components of ecosystems are linked by what?
- Cycle nutrients within system
2. Transfer energy through system
Ecosystems are involved in what types of interactions?
Abiotic and Biotic
Describe the function of an ecosystem
Energy from sun flows in one direction (energy entering is processed then transformed)
Matter is recycled within ecosystem (results in outputs: heat, water flow, waste products)
Species interactions result in food chains/webs that re-cycle what?
How do they do this?
Carbon and other elements
Through photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition
What are the most important interactions within communities and why?
Predation and herbivory because they are major links to the carbon and nutrient cycles
Ultimately ecosystem function depends on what?
Autotrophs to form organic molecules by reducing carbon
Photoautotrophs-photosynthesis
Chemoautotrophs-chemosynthesis
Material cycle in communities through what?
Various trophies levels
Primary producers–>consumers–>decomposers
How does energy flow through ecosystems?
Species interactions form tropic pyramids that transfer energy through ecosystems
Energy does cycle within ecosystems
TRUE OR FALSE?
FALSE
New energy must be what to sustain an community?
Continually harvested
Some energy is stored in the chemical bonds or organic molecules (carbohydrates) by who?
Producers
Relatively small amounts of energy is transferred from one trophies level to the next based on…
Allocation
Explain the principle of allocation of energy
Each organisms has a limited amount of energy available for allocation for:
- maintenance
- obtaining food
- movement
- dealing with predators
- coping with change
- growth
- reproduction
From the base of plant productivity about how much of the biomass of each trophies level is passed onto the next?
10%
